Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken in fat and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some other seasoning to the food andmakingtheir own presentationof deep-fried chicken.
These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a frequent staple.
This is said to have come from a gentleman named James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his record he noted that at dinner the locals would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”.
What he in fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also observed that it lasted well well inwarmweather before refrigeration was seen everyday so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work.
Since, it has become the region’s most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most eminent culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy.
Her mix had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
Cut two chickens into quarters; lay them in vinegar for 3-4 hours with pepper, salt, bay and a few cloves. Make a very thick batter first with ½ pint of wine and flour then 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and lay them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a fine gravy. These days, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which features nearly zero trans fats and we use a brine of buttermilk and salt to season our chicken throughout. It’s amazing to think how far this dish has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
